Theodobe luce



(Medel.)

T. LUCE.

Y RAILWAY GAR.

Petented Sept. 20,1881.

N, PETERS Plmnmuwg'txpner. wnthmgmn. D. c.

l l l i UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica THEODORE LUCE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAI LWAY-CA R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,260, dated September 2O, 1881. Application filed March 8, 1881. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TnEonoRE LUCE, of Detroit,- in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Railway-Gars, of which the followingisa specication.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railwaycars, by means of which they may be run,with comparative safety, at a very high rate of speed, and the position of the draw-bar will always regulate the position of the wheels with relation to the rails of a railway-track, so that the liability of the car to leave the track or to run off the same at curves is almost if not entirely obviated.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the truck and axle and their combination with each other and a draw-bar pivoted at about midway of its length and adapted to change the position of the wheels with relation to the track, all as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a bottom Yplan of a section of a car with my improved truck and draw-bar attached. Fig. 2 is a verticalcentral cross-section through the center of the truck. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical central section through the draw-bar and truck. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lower half of the centrally-pivoted vibrating-plate,which forms the boxes for the inner ends of the axles, and to which the inner end of the draw-bar is secured.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents a journal-box, one of which is secured at each side of the car, directly opposite each other. Their axle-boxes are provided with vertical trunnions a, which are adapted to partially rotate in the boxes b, by means of which the boxes are secured to the car-body.

B represents the axles, of which there is one for each wheel G, th ewheels bein g secured to the axles in the usual manner. The outer ends of theaxlesrunin the boxes A,while theinner ends of the axles terminate in a ball, c, which,with the sockets d, forms the usual ball-and-socket joint, such sockets being in the plate I),which is divided into two partsupper and lower- Fig. 4 representing the lower part, while the upper part is its counterpart reversed. This plate is provided with a central hole, e, by

means ot' which (when the two parts which form the plate are properly bolted together) and the king-bolt E the plate is secured to the frame F,which is secured longitudinally to the bottom of the car body and platform. The plate is also provided with `a socket, h, within which the inner end of the draw-bar G is pivotally secured by the bolt k. This draw-bar is also secured between the upper and lower parts of the frame F by means ot' the stud-bolt t', which forms a fulcrum, by means 0f which the drawbarisconverted into alever to compelthewheels always to travel on lines parallel to the position of the draw-bar for lthe time being, as shown in Fig. 1, which shows the relative position ofthe draw-bar and wheels when the car is passing around a curve. Arrangements ot' springs H maybe made as shown in Fig. 2, or any other desired and convenient arrangement may be made for the purpose. When the front end of the draw-bar is in line with the longitudinal center of the car and parallel with the rails of a track, the wheels will run in lines parallel to such longitudinal center; but when the front end of the draw-bar diverges from said center line it is converted into a lever with a fulcrum, which partially rotates the center plate, D, and compels the wheels to change their position and run upon lilies parallel to such position of the draw-bar, thereby almost entirely obviatin g the danger of derailing the car.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A truck for a railway-car wherein the wheels are adapted to run upon changing lines always parallel to each other and upon separate axles, journaled to allow the wheels to change direction, said axles being` journaled at their outer ends in pivoted boxes, and at their inner ends in turning boxes in a centrallypivoted plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Apivoted draw-bar, G, connected directly to a centrally-pivoted plate, I), carrying the inner boxes of theindependentaxles as ameans of changing the position of said axles to conform with the varying positions of the drawbar, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a draw-bar fulcrumed to a railway-car, a central plate which forms IOC the boxes for the inner ends of independent l tral plate, D, and frame F, the parts being conaxles, as a means of changing the position ot such axles to conform to the varying positions as and for the purposes specified. ofthe draw-bar, substantially as described. 6. In combination with a eentrally-pivoted 4. The centrally-pivoted plate D, niadei'n two l plate, having spheriqal recesses d with outward sections, each section being provided with re- J openings, the spherical axle-boxes @for receiveesses d for receiving the boxes of car-axles, l ing the inner ends of independent axles, suband With a recess, h, for receiving the inner stantially as and for the purpose specified. end ofa pivoted draw-bar, substantially as and THEO. LUCE. for the purpose specied.

5. In a railway-truck and in combination with boxes A, axles B, and Wheels C, the een- Vitnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. W. ANDREWS.

structed, arranged, and operating substantially 

